


Ashes in my Wake

by rolandtowen



Series: The Dragon and The Wolf [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angry Zuko (Avatar), Firebending & Firebenders, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Zuko has Panic Attacks, but it ends well and there's pastries and tea, leave zuko's boyfriend alone, there is a bit of a confrontation in this section
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:15:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29092608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rolandtowen/pseuds/rolandtowen
Summary: Zuko learns that not everyone in the Fire Nation is as smitten with Sokka as he is.He makes some changes and burns some bridges.Rated Teen for language. Title taken from Hozier's "Arsonist's Lullaby".Trigger Warnings: homophobia, racism, panic attack, nausea
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: The Dragon and The Wolf [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115390
Comments: 17
Kudos: 199





	Ashes in my Wake

Zuko doesn't think he'll ever tire of this, waking up in Sokka's arms with the light of Agni streaming over his beloved's face. Gently untangling one of his hands, Zuko reaches up to card his fingers through Sokka's brown locks. _His braids will need fixing_ , he thinks, _but I have no qualms with that._

Zuko is always amazed, every morning, to see Sokka's puddle of sleep robes, a striking deep blue against the scarlet bed linens. When the two of them first arrived, Sokka had asked in a small voice if he could still wear some of his things from home...and Zuko was having none of that. He immediately summoned the royal tailors to take Sokka's measurements and ordered them to craft whatever he requested, before taking Sokka to the textile district. _Pick out whatever fabrics you want_ , he told him. _You shall represent your culture with pride_.

Sokka looked at him with bright eyes before running his fingers over bolts and bolts of silk and velvet. _I didn't know there was so much blue in the whole world_ , he whispered. Zuko wrote to Kanna that night, humbly requesting that she visit as soon as she could to instruct his tailors in her methods. They're keeping her visit between themselves, as a surprise for Sokka.

Now, Sokka is stirring in his arms, blearily opening his eyes.

"Good morning, my love," Zuko presses a kiss to the tip of Sokka's nose. "How many meetings do you have today?"

Sokka stretches, exaggeratedly. "Too many. But I am excited to meet with the Committee on International Relations. Toph and Aang are coming."

"And me, of course!"

"And you, my dear." Sokka's stomach growls.

"How about I go fetch us some morning tea?" Zuko rises from their bed, pulling his hair into a loose bun. "I won't be a moment."

Zuko strides out of their bedroom and into their main living space, filled with plush pillows and one central chabudai table with all of their tea things. Well, technically, Sokka has his own chambers, but they've rarely been used. After his first week in the palace, Sokka figured out he would save a lot of time and energy by just moving his stuff into Zuko's quarters, so now their space together is a striking combination of bright red and deep blue. Zuko's favorite decoration is the one that hangs just above their doorway: a dual dao sword and Sokka's bone club crossing, with their blades pointed downwards. A reminder that while the war was over, they were still warriors, but warriors who defied the battle lines drawn by Ozai, Azulon, and Sozin. Zuko's second favorite decoration is from Uncle Iroh, the tea set he uses every day now. The pot and mugs are decorated with jade-green illustrations that Zuko thinks Uncle must have painted himself. He's moved by the gesture every morning, and makes a mental note to ask Iroh to visit soon. 

While their green tea is steeping, Zuko steps out into the hallway and makes his way to the kitchens. If his timing is right, he'll get there right as the first batch of sticky buns comes out of the ovens.

As he rounds a corner into a stairwell, Zuko hears an agitated voice. His eyes narrow. It's one of his father's old advisors, Ming Lee, who he's kept on out of respect for his experience.

"I can't believe the nerve of our new 'Lord', bringing a primitive into the Royal Family. And an abomination of a primitive at that. How will the Fire Nation procure an heir apparent? Certainly not from that peasant. There's a reason Sozin passed that law. You have to keep weakness _out_ of the Royal Family."

Another adviser, Gu-wen from the sounds of it, interrupts him. "Adviser Lee, things have changed now. I think you should be looking at this as an opportunity: finally, some new blood can be adopted into the royal family! Lord Sokka was telling me the other day that his tribe elects their chiefs with the help of a council of elders, not via a line of succession like we do. The Fire Nation could use some democracy-"

"-I want no part in this 'democracy' if it means that I have to bow to a primitive, Gu-wen."

Zuko's blood boils. Ming Lee rounds the corner with another advisor and comes face to face with a livid Fire Lord. Smoke is rising up from Zuko's clenched fists, and his normally golden eyes are illuminated red by his breath of fire, flames curling out of his nostrils. The sight is _fucking terrifying_. Zuko waves a dismissive hand at Gu-wen, giving him a silent look of _thank you_ , before turning his blazing eyes on Ming Lee. Gu-wen scurries back down the wall from where they came. 

"Advisor Lee. Explain yourself."

Ming Lee drops to his knees. "Fire Lord Zuko, please, I meant no disrespect—”

"Oh, but I think you did. Or is calling the Prince Consort and Ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe a 'primitive' supposed to be a compliment?" Zuko snarls. Flames spark to life in Zuko's hands despite his best efforts to control his temper. Ming Lee cowers, pressing his forehead to the ground at Zuko's feet. "I asked you _a question_ , Advisor Lee."

"No! No, my Lord. I'm sorry, please forgive me." Ming Lee looks up at Zuko with wide eyes and Zuko feels like he's been punched in the gut. He straightens, extinguishing his flames.

"Advisor Lee, you are relieved of your duties. You will, however, receive a full retirement pension out of my respect for your service. Attend your last meetings today and never let me see you again. Dismissed."

"Yes, yes my Lord. Thank you, my Lord." Ming Lee stands but continues bowing, walking backwards, until he's out of Zuko's sight. Zuko collapses on the stone steps, panting. Ming Lee was begging on his knees, and it would've been so easy for Zuko to stretch out his flaming hand... his stomach lurches and he's dry heaving against the cold stone wall.

"...ko? Zuko!" Strong arms wrap around Zuko's sides, taking his weight. He slumps into them. A hand starts rubbing slow circles on his back. "Zuko, you have to breathe. Breathe with me."

"So—Sokka?" Zuko starts to float back down to earth. "Why are you out of bed?"

Sokka smiles down at him. "You let the tea steep too long. I knew you wouldn't have done that unless you were caught up in something."

Zuko whimpers as another wave of nausea rushes through him. He hates Sokka seeing him like this. "How... how much did you hear?"

"Enough. I heard enough." Sokka pushes the sweaty loose hairs away from his eyes and Zuko breaks. He curls into Sokka like he's hiding from the cold, and Sokka's the only warmth left in the world.

"I could've, I could've—" he hiccups. "I could've burned him. Like my father did to me. He was so scared, Sokka, so scared of me, and I almost—"

Sokka shushes him gently. "But you didn't. Zuko, if someone said something like that about you, I'd do much worse than force them into early retirement. You're not your father, my dear. You never will be. You carry your power with too much justice for that to ever happen."

Zuko finally stops shaking. "You think so?"

Sokka nods. He wipes the tears from Zuko's face, taking extra care around his scar, before placing a kiss on his forehead. "What did you come down here for, anyway?"

"Sticky buns," Zuko says in the softest voice Sokka's ever heard.

"Oh, really? Sticky buns?" Sokka feigns surprise. "Well let's go get some then."

Sokka takes his arm and the two of them descend the stairs to the palace kitchens. Iku, the palace baker and pastry chef, is waiting for them. "Decided to sleep in, my lords?" She teases, holding a plate of sticky buns out to them.

Zuko takes them with a little bow of his head. "You know me too well, Iku."

"That I do," she replies. "I solemnly swear never to blackmail you with your love of sticky buns."

Zuko laughs, and through his full mouth says: "mush appreshated".

“Anything for you, Lord Sokka?” Iku smiles warmly at him. Her eyes are not unlike Kanna’s, and Sokka suddenly wishes that she were here.

“No, thank you, Iku. Although I must say, it has been a pleasure to eat everything you prepare. I’d never had more sweets in my life than in the first week after I arrived here. I guess I have you to thank for making me feel so welcome here.”

Iku takes a step closer to him, titling her head to the side as a way of asking permission. Sokka nods, and she pulls him into a tight embrace. “If you ever need a friend or some warm milk, you know where to find me. Now, both of you—”

Both young rulers look her in the eyes.

“—look after each other.”

“Yes ma’am,” they say in unison.

She regards them with a fond look that neither of them is used to. “Well, what are you waiting around here for? Get to your meetings, go save the world!”

Zuko grabs one last sticky bun. “Thank you, Iku.” He kisses Sokka, and they walk out of the kitchens hand in hand.

Iku watches them go and decides that these boys—rulers of nations or not—were hers now. She will watch over them, and if any of her staff have an issue with them, they’ll go the way of Ming Lee. These boys have had enough trouble in their short lives for a hundred men. The least she can do is keep them safe from inside threats.

And she’ll keep the sticky buns coming.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you all for reading, as always, you are the best part of my week. I plan on publishing new parts on the weekends.  
> -  
> "Iku" is a feminine Japanese name meaning "nourishing". I think Zuko could use someone like her in his life :) Ming Lee is an asshole so I gave him a really boring name: 'Ming' is Chinese for 'name', and I added on 'Lee' because of the whole bit of there being a million 'Lee's' in the FN. Gu-Wen is derived from the Japanese word for 'adviser', 'Gùwèn'  
> -  
> Please drink some water and take care of your minds, loves. I hope this little work can bring some light into your pandemic life. If you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious, there's a great resource called the Crisis Text Line: basically a mental health helpline, but in texting format!
> 
> US and Canada: text "HOME" to 741741
> 
> UK: text "HOME" to 85258
> 
> Ireland: text "HOME" to 50808


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